On my first overnight scooter ride in 2009, I rode down to Warren Dunes State Park, stopping in all the harbor towns along the way, kind of like today’s ride but a bit more leisurely. But St. Joseph surprised me.
In 2008, the downtown/harbor/beach area was pretty desolate. I could see some publi works projects underway, showing that the city (with some combo of private investment and government grants) was trying to revitalize it. There was a funky pizza place sharing the old train station with the token Amtrak kiosk, which is where I had dinner before continuing to the state park. But not many people.
Today it was different. The downtown retail blocks were full of people: young couple with children, small packs of teenagers, older couples. It looked almost like Saugatuck or South Haven. The beach area (which you can see from a neat overlook at the edge of the shopping district) was busy too.
Now some of the difference may be the time/day I was there, but I don’t think that accounts for all of it. And I was in adjacent Benton Harbor a few nights ago and it still looked like a city in decline. So I’m not proclaiming an economic miracle. But still: downtown Saint Joe is looking better.
New Buffalo (which I hadn’t been to before) was my next stop. It… hasn’t quite hit the tourist vibe that Saint Joe has, but it’s working on it.
Next was Michigan City. I didn’t stop. The huge power plant cooling tower looming over it kinda kills the atmosphere.
I got to Indiana Dunes State Park around 7pm … make that 6pm local time. Nice enough campground, but all I’ve done so far is pitch the tent and head off to get dinner at Leroy’s, a bar and grill on the highway a few miles away.